Conveying mechanism



N.- A. NEVI/DICK. CONVEYING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED .IUNE 26. 1919.

1,3?5959 A Patented Apr. I9, 192.1.

a l i Y usefulilmprovements in Conveying` Mecha- Y.

- narran stares ria-raar. ,ersies. sl

` YNORTON A. Nnwmcx, or COLUMBUS, omo, Assisivon To JAMEsELLWooD Joivns, or*

.Y jSWITCHBACK, WEST VIRGINIA.`

. coNvEYrNG MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.. Y Patented plnj, 1921.

Application led June 26, 1919. Serial No. 306,954.

To all whom t may concern: l V

Be it knownV that NORTON A. Nnwnion, a citizen of the United States, yresiding at Columbus, in the county of Franklin Vand State of Ohio, has invented certain new'and nism, of which the following is a specification.

A, This invention relates broadly to conveying mechanism, and, has particularreference to an improved conveying structure primarily adaptable for use in conjunction with coal loading machines, the object of the invention being to provide a conveying structure composed essentially of a plurality of flight carrying link elements with which are associatedrimproved means for guiding the same during their course of travel, to eliminateundue frictionbetween parts, to` retain the desired angularity between the link elements andthe fiights,.to enablethe flights kto withstand excessive strains and loads, and'toproteot the chain structure from the material conveyed by the flights.

Another object of the invention resides in a conveyer wherein is provided a frame having stationary and spaced guide members carried thereby whereby the chain structure of the conveyer will be caused to travel between said guide members in parallelism therewith, the chain structure being formed 'Y to embody a plurality of' link elements whichv are connected at intervals bymeans of Y perpendicular vpivot members, which latter being of such construction as to permit ofV the association of the laterallylprotruding flights which in reality forml apart 'of-the chain structure itself, and'to provide the pivot members with rollers which are over said frame and are disposedto engage with either of saidv guide members, so that the movement of the chain `structure as ya whole may be facilitated by the elimination to a 4large extent of frictionbetween thel sameV and said guide members, and to locate the rollers in such relation withrespect tov said iiights that the load carried by the'flatter Vwill be inv a large measure received by the guide members sothat the flights andchain links may be relieved of severe pressures `and strains and the desired angularity of theiiights preserved.

IA further 'object ofthe'invention resides in inclosing the chain ystructure so that 'the dirt or grit of themateiial conveyed by the .flights will be kept out of the joints of the chain structure and in this manner the wearving properties of the latter enhanced, and to provide the casing of the linkstructure with an improved guide disposed te project into guiding relation with respect tothe .flights throughout all positions of travel of the latter, saidy auxiliary guide serving to prevent.

undue movement on part of the flights in an upward direction and in this -manner to render. the same more eihcient in their conveying activities.

Other objects will Ibe in part obvious and in part pointedout hereinafter in the -following claims.

In the accompanying drawings. forming a part of this specification and in which similar characters offreference'denote like K and corresponding parts:l

Figure l isla top plan view ofthe con-- veying mechanism comprising the present invention, Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional `view taken along the line 2-2ofFigl.

' Fig. 3 isa transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of` Fig. l, and v Fig. t is a plan view of the loading machine'with which the lconveying mechanism p.

- is employed.V

The conveying mechanismi-'L comprising the present invention is primarily adapted tobe employed in connection withya coal loading machine l, the latter may be of a type disclosed inl my co-pending application lbearing VSerial Number 302,91 'filing date J une 9, 1919. In the machine l there is provided a forwardly situated nose portion2, a

conveying frame 3 and sprocket wheels 4,

the latter being situated at the forward and rear portions of the frame 3 and over which is trained .a chain Ystructure B, the f latter carrying perpendicular extending flights 5,

whereby when the chain structure is in mction, vsaid flights willy be caused to entera' coa-l pile and to force the material contained y fin the latterfupwardly along the frame, y

made. Hence, it is the purpose of the presi v dent to the conveying of coal from its face or seam to suitable containers, to enable the mechanism to successfully withstand long and continued usage, and in the event of damage to any of the component -parts thereof to permit such damage to be readily repaired with but a minimum of time and loss.

Mounted upon the frame 3 are a plurality of spaced and longitudinally extending guide members 6 and 7 which are spaced to receive the chain structure and toypermit the latter to move in parallelism with said guide members upon the rotation of the sprocket wheels 4. The chain structure preferably consists vof a pluralityv ofV spaced and parallel link bars -8 and 9 in which arc formed registering openings 10, and pass- 'Y ing through said openings are split tubular cient to impair thehorizontal flexibility Yof bushings 13 which, iii turn, are disposed to receive headed bolt members 1li, the threaded ends of the latter beingl provided with nuts 15. This arrangement of tliebyolt members is such that uponrthe tightening up of the nuts 15 the bushings 13 will be vplaced under compressive stresses so that the friction lexerted bythe nuts 15 will be directly received bythe bushings 18 so kthat the outward movementonly ofthe link bars 8 Vand 9 will be limited. Surrounding the bushings 18 and interposed between the link bars 8 and 9 ai'e a plurality of split collars 16, which are grooved as at 17 to receive the horizontal link elements 18 of the structure B. Relative movement between the collars 1G is prevented by means of dowel pins 19. It will thus be apparent that through the Vprovision of the bolt members described that a structure has been provided for rigidly and securely uniting the link bars 8 and 9 and their associated parts but that through l* the provision ofthe bushings 13 the friction placed upon said link bars will, not be suffithe chain structure as a whole, and furthermore said bushings serveto receive the wear of the chain and to permit of the rapid repair ojf any fractured part thereof.

Rotatable about the lower ends of the ,bolt members 111 are a plurality .of rollers or equivalent anti-friction devices 20, which are adapted to be positioned so as to engage with one or the other lof the guide members 6 and 7, so lthat the movement of the chain vstructureas al whole ybetween said guides will be facilitated,'unduefriction obviated andsuccessful Operation of the mechanism effected with but a minimum expenditure of power. lt will be observed'that when the yflights 5 aretraveling upwardly of the frame 3 and under loaded conditions, the rollers will bevcaused to.y oscillate lsofthat the each flight the true operative position ofthe Y latter will be maintainedso thatv the conveying structure may operate with maximum efficiency.V

The structure B is housed by VformingY the guide'member 7 of channel construction, so that the same will include an upper wall 21 and a depending side wall 22, which is located in registration with the guide member 6, but is spaced from the latter to provide a slot 23, through which the connecting webs 24of the flightsextend. By thus housing the structure B the samewill be protected from the material carried by the flights, and inthis manner the life of the chain structure will-be materiallyregtended. To prevent vertical raisingl of the fiights, or the disengagement ofthe latterv with the material it is conveying along lthe frame 3, use is made of an auxiliary guide 25. This latter guide extends rigidly from the wall 22and is provided with a bearing portion 26 which is disposedimmediately above the flights 5 and in spaced relation' from the frame 3. By `virtue of thisconstruction it will be apparent thatmovement of the flights away from4 the door of the frame will be effectively precluded bythe auxiliary guide 25 and in this mannerclose engagement ,between the iiights and thematerial they are carrying will be maintained.

Tnterposed between the flights 5 and-.form- '7 ing a part of the structure .B are a plurality of vertical link elements 27,` whichare arfr ranged to be received within grooved wearving plates 28 fitted upon the endslof theelements 18. This manner of couplingV the elements y18 andl 27 furnishes anexceptionally substantial.construction and contributestoward the general strength of thecoiiveying mechanism. l Y l l .y Y A From the foregoing description taken in i connectionwith the accompanying drawing,

it will be apparent vthatthereis provideda conveying mechanism of considerable utility, and'one which is capable ofziinparting'extended serivce under very difficult loonditions with buta minimumA o f Vbreaks orrepairs. Furtherinore, the structureis so assembled as to 'permit a'damaged Apar-t to lbei quickly and readily removedfrom the'mechanism and a new partpinser'ted inlieu thereof. By terminating the channeled-fguider isoY member 7 adjacent to one of the sprockets 4, any part of the chain structure B will be rendered readily accessible. The teeth of the sprockets are so spaced lasV to be capable of readily entering the interstices of the chain structure, so-'that the movement of the latter will take place upon the rotation of the sprockets. Through the provision of the rollers 2O movement of the chain structure as a whole will be facilitated, stresses imparted to theflights will be readily taken care of, and the lateral positioning of the Hights with respect to the guide members 6 and 7 will be insured. e What l claim is: v

l. In a conveyer, the combinationewith a frame, a pair of spaced and stationary longitudinally extendingguide members carried by said frame, of a chain structure located between and movable in parallelism 'with said members, said structure comprisingv a plurality of linkvv elements articulately connected at intervals by means of pivot members, flight elements connected with and protruding laterally from said pivot members, and devices mounted to .rotate aboutl the lower extremities of said pivot members whereby when'saidflights are placed underV load conditions saiddevices will be caused to engage with sald guide members to faclliytate the movement of the'chain structure.

' Q ln aconveyer, the combination with a frame, a pair of spaced and stationary longitudinally extending guide members carried by said frame, of a chain structure located between and movable' in parallelism with said members, said structure comprising a plurality of link elements articulately and ahousing arranged to substantially incase said chain structure. v f

3. .In a conveyer, the combination with a frame, a pair o'f spaced and stationary longitudinally extending guide members car-v ried by said frame, of a chain structure located 'between and movablein parallelism with said'members, said structure comprising a plurality of link elements articulately connected at intervals by means of pivot members, Hight elements connected with and protrudingy laterallyfrom said pivot members, devices mounted to rotate about the lower extremities of said pivot members whereby when said flights are placed under load conditions said devices will be caused to engage with said guide members to facilitate themovement of the chain structure, a housing arranged toV substantially incase said chain structure, said housing having aV slot formed therein to which the flights project,

and an .auxiliary guide structure proj ectlng llaterally from said housing and arranged to cooperate with said flights and points klateral to the housing.

AIn testimony whereof I affix my signature.

, NORTON A. NEWDIOK.'v 

